This Feels Right

Three

⚠homophobic slurs/abuse⚠

POV-Luke

I let Reggie drag me out of the house and down the road. I couldn't see. My mind was racing. My eyes were clouded with tears. Unsaid Emily was the one song I've written that has a real emotional meaning behind it. I miss my mom and dad, but I have to prove to them that this dream is worth chasing. Bobby's words hurt. I never thought he'd say anything about the song. He saw the pain I was in that night. He saw the pain I've been in for the past month, two weeks and three days. He's seen it and still made it worse. I was already teary-eyed by the end of the song, but I was able to keep myself together, until he told me the song would basically be our biggest flop.

I didn't know where Reggie was dragging Alex and I, but honestly I didn't care either. I didn't want to be anywhere near Bobby. He's hurt me enough. He's said a lot over the month and a half I've lived there. Pretty much every time he opened his mouth, I hated him more. But I needed a place to live, so I had to be nice. Now Reggie is dragging me through the sand. It wasn't until he dragged me up three concrete steps that I realized where the idiot had dragged us.

"Why are we here?" I asked, breaking the silence that we held since we left Bobby's.

"It's the only place I can think of," Reggie whispered. "Now shut up so they don't hear us."

"They're yelling too loud," Alex pointed out, making me suddenly aware of the yelling coming from behind the door.

Reggie flinched at Alex's words, but Alex didn't notice. So, he continued, "They wouldn't hear us even if we played on volume ten."

"You'd be surprised," Reggie mumbled as he let go of me for the first time since Bobby's.

He stepped forwards and very carefully opened the door, peeking his head inside. Once he realized his parents were in their room, he opened the door all the way and signaled us inside. Alex pushed me through first, shoving me straight towards the hallway that led to Reggie's room. Reggie quietly shut the door and followed us. When we were all safely in his room, he locked the door and let out a loud sigh.

"You all know the drill?" he asked both of us.

"Amazingly," Alex replied, "We've been friends since fifth grade and this is only the second time I've been here. The first time I was here, we were ditching school to practice and your parents weren't home."

"Right," Reggie said. "Basically, stay as quiet and still as you can until the fighting ends. It'll either end with a door slamming or it will casually die down. If the doorknob shakes, hide. If the door is forced open, don't breathe too loud."

"And if you're found," I finished for Reggie, "Don't get caught and get the hell out."

Alex nodded, his face pale as realization dawned on him. He was looking around the room now, letting his eyes bounce from one thing to the next. Reggie was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling and mouthing a song. I couldn't read his lips from where I sat on the floor, so I had no idea what he was singing, but he looked so cute and content.

"What happens if we get caught?" Alex whispered into the quiet.

Reggie sat up and he and I both looked at him. Neither of us wanted to tell him, because I've gotten caught before and that's where all these rules came from. Well, I don't know if they're rules or a survival guide. I guess it could be seen as both. Let's just say the hospital trip after I got caught dented my parents bank account a bit.

"Luke can tell ya," Reggie said in a hushed, happy tone.

I sighed, "He beat the shit out of me. Caused a broken wrist, a few broken ribs, a concussion, dislocated shoulder and broken collar bone. You'd think I was in a bad car accident and not meeting Reggie's dad for the first time."